WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Neal Dunn (FL-02) introduced the bipartisan REPAIR Act. The legislation will ensure vehicle owners have access to important repair and diagnostic data needed for auto repairs.
Vehicle owners and small automotive repair shops must pay a fee to the vehicle manufacturer to access repair data generated by their car or truck, making it increasingly difficult and costly to fix one’s own vehicle or take it to a preferred local shop. The REPAIR Act would affirm that this data belongs to the vehicle’s owner, not the manufacturer, making high-quality repairs more proximate for rural Americans and less expensive, while empowering more Americans to undertake their own repairs.
“Americans are tired of lip service about lowering prices or respecting the trades. We want to be able to fix our own stuff and to be stewards of our stuff and not reliant on a stream of cheap disposable crap. But auto manufacturers have made it increasingly difficult to exercise real agency,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “It’s time for Congress to listen to ordinary Americans and pass right to repair legislation.”
“American consumers deserve full control over their vehicle repair and maintenance data to ensure they can find the best service for their vehicle at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, vehicle manufacturers are standing in the way of American consumers accessing their own data to use the repair shop of their choosing, limiting consumer choice,” said Rep. Dunn. “For far too long, manufacturers have championed anti-competitive practices by withholding crucial maintenance information, squeezing their customers and independent repair shops. Your vehicle belongs to you, not the manufacturer. I am introducing the REPAIR Act to provide a binding, workable solution to anti-competitive behavior in the auto repair industry to reaffirm consumer control over their vehicle maintenance data and empower them to work with repair shops big and small.”
“Americans want a car repair market that guarantees choice and protects accessible, affordable, and safe vehicle repairs,” said Justin Rzepka, Executive Director of the CAR Coalition. “We commend Rep. Neal Dunn and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for their leadership in upholding consumer rights and promoting a free and fair car repair market. Today’s reintroduction of the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act marks an important step forward in limiting unfair repair restrictions and empowering consumers to fix their vehicles on their own terms.”
“We sincerely thank Dr. Dunn for his leadership in tackling this existential threat to consumers and standing up for the rights of vehicle owners and vital businesses,” said Bill Hanvey, President and CEO of the Auto Care Association. “The REPAIR Act gained significant support and momentum in the previous Congress, demonstrating the broad, bipartisan recognition of the need to protect consumers’ right to repair their vehicles. Lawmakers, industry leaders, and everyday drivers understand that fair access to vehicle repair data is essential for competition, affordability, and consumer choice. With its reintroduction, we have an even greater opportunity to get this critical legislation across the finish line.”
“NFIB is excited to work with and support Rep. Dunn on this important legislation. The REPAIR Act is a much-needed piece of bipartisan legislation to increase competition in the automotive repair industry,” said Andrea McGee, Principal of Federal Government Relations at the National Federation of Independent Business. “Almost 90 percent of NFIB members support right to repair, making it one of NFIB’s top ten priorities. NFIB thanks Rep. Dunn for his tireless work on this issue that impacts so many small businesses across all industries.”
“MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers thanks Congressman Dunn for reintroducing the REPAIR Act. This bill is a critical step toward protecting consumer choice, competition, and innovation in the automotive aftermarket,”said Paul McCarthy, President of MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers. “Ensuring fair access in a cybersecure way to critical repair and maintenance data allows aftermarket manufacturers to continue innovating and providing high-quality, affordable parts to consumers. Without this access, competition is stifled, costs will rise, and consumer choice will be diminished. MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers strongly supports this legislation to protect a vibrant and competitive aftermarket that benefits drivers, repairers, and manufacturers alike.”
Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez previously helped introduce the legislation in the 118th Congress and it passed a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee markup.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25173142/DSC0167-2-scaled-1-e1740533591258.jpg11822560lacamashttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pnglacamas2025-02-25 17:36:502025-02-25 17:36:55Gluesenkamp Perez, Dunn Introduce Bipartisan Vehicle REPAIR Bill
SKAMANIA COUNTY, WA – On Thursday, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Skamania County leaders held a press conference at the Mt. Pleasant School to urge Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program to ensure rural communities can continue to access vital funds for infrastructure and schools.
During the press conference, the leaders laid out the dire impacts to schools, public safety, and infrastructure that will occur if the program is not soon extended, and Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez discussed her efforts in Congress to fight for reauthorization.
Earlier this month, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez joined a bipartisan effort to reintroduce the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act to extend the program and enable retroactive payments. In January, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez urged House Leadership to immediately prioritize an SRS extension, following a September letter urging reauthorization before the end of 2023.
The SRS program is a historically bipartisan lifeline for rural communities who rely on timber revenue that has been limited by federal action and are highly impacted by tax-exempt federal lands. According to the Forest Service, reauthorization needed to have been completed by the end of January in order for the program to stay on schedule without delays to payments.
Since its enactment, SRS has provided $7 billion in payments to more than 700 counties and 4,400 school districts across 40 states. In 2023, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Skamania Counties received significant amounts of funding through SRS. In Skamania County, only 1.8 percent of land can generate revenue for public services, and SRS funding accounts for 5.1 percent of the county’s budget.
More details about the local impacts of not reauthorizing SRS can be found here.
“Our kids had access to all sorts of programs, all [the] resources that they needed, and that has dwindled and dwindled. … We’re trying to hang onto as much of that as we can so our students can stay and have the skills and the abilities that they need to go out and have living-wage jobs in our community. And if they do decide to go outside of the community to get education and training and come back, we want them to have something to come back to. Our schools cannot degrade that experience to the point that that isn’t preparing them for the future,” said Stevenson-Carson School District Superintendent Dr. Ingrid Colvard in her remarks. “This is what happens because of these essential funds: Students in our district can access a therapist, a counselor, a support person immediately if they’re in crisis. In our county, that is very difficult to do … Our students have access to a post-high school counselor … Each learner has the support they need to be able to read and perform mathematics at grade level. … Those things are at risk. Those are people that work and mentor our students to make it happen. Our teachers, our paraprofessionals, our custodial staff that’s already cut to the bone – it’s cut into the bone. … This extra money, this additional five percent – it’s in our budget, and we have to have it to continue these things. Opportunities to learn job-ready skills, like welding and carpentry, the Congresswoman was able to see that in action. Our kids can walk in and go to work and we have all of these other opportunities happening like Forest Youth Success, preparing them for their futures. We don’t want to lose that. … Our learners, our community, they count on the promise that was made to our county. … I ask you and implore you to please support our future, our kids. … Our kids are worth it, they deserve it, and opportunity comes with these funds.”
“In February 2024, we had two inches of ice and negative wind chills. Water pipes burst in the school, and during repair, we discovered that we had asbestos. Our cost of repairs after insurance was $72,000. Additionally, our HVAC is failing. Over the last two years, we have spent approximately $25,000 on repairs, and we anticipate replacing the unit soon. Mt. Pleasant is one of only 43 districts in the state of Washington to receive a perfect 4.0 financial health score in 2022-2023. We are careful stewards of our funding. However small districts like Mt. Pleasant are unduly impacted by not having the services of a large district and having to contract for those services,” said Mt. Pleasant School Board Member Liz Wilber in her remarks. “We are committed to doing everything we can to make cuts furthest from the classroom, but without SRS funds, we will be left to cover budget deficits with levy dollars and reserves – both of which are extremely tenuous. If we were to close, our taxpayers would become part of the Washougal School District, paying significantly higher taxes. … For small, rural districts like mine, these monies are absolutely vital.”
“I want nothing more than our county to regain our independence through responsible timber harvest. However, relying on an unpredictable handout from the federal government for our county to survive has been a forced hand we’ve been made to accept. Without SRS funding, the future of Skamania County, and specifically public safety, is bleak. In 2025, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office was forced to cut two patrol deputy positions due to the lack of SRS funds,” said Skamania County Sheriff Summer Scheyer in her remarks. “Over the past 15 years, due to the continued reduction in SRS funds, the Sheriff’s Office was forced to cut animal control, a narcotics detective, detective sergeant, chief criminal deputy, telecommunicators, corrections officers, and patrol deputies. If SRS funds are not reappropriated, public safety in Skamania County will not be sustainable as we currently operate. Further personnel cuts will be required, creating a detrimental reduction in patrol deputy response for criminal activity and traffic enforcement. … Response times to assist those utilizing the recreational aspects of the Forest Service-managed land may be delayed so significantly the mission that would have been a rescue transforms into a deadly recovery.”
“SRS is a financial ray of hope for the people of Skamania County. SRS helps fill the gaps between the funding that Skamania County and our schools should be getting from the timber harvest of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and what is actually being harvested,” said Skamania County Commissioner Brian Nichols (District 1) in his remarks. “It means family wage jobs for Skamania County. It means improved safety for the people of Skamania County. And it means a local government that is better able to serve the people of Skamania County. And it means greater opportunities through education for our greatest treasure – our kids and our grandkids.”
“When I came into office, one of our predecessors had always talked about how Skamania County only had 1.8 percent of land taxable for the support of school functions and all of the other county functions. And as I listened to that, I thought, ‘what does that really mean?’” said former Skamania County Commissioner Tom Lannen (District 2) in his remarks. “Well, it means that back in 1990, we averaged about 364 million board feet off of the Gifford Pinchot forest every year. And that delivered to the county and the schools about $10 million a year. That’s equivalent to $22 million in today’s market. That’s greater than our county’s entire budget.”
“One of the programs I oversee is Forest Youth Success, which is a workforce development program for our local teens. … We provide basic job skills in a paid work setting while we help our youth participants to develop and enhance their life skills, and that increases their long-term employability, [and] to learn the importance of environmental stewardship, as well as the fundamentals of forest ecology and management through real-world opportunities. They develop a sense of responsibility for themselves, the forest, and their communities,” said WSU Extension 4-H Program Coordinator Somer Meade in her remarks. “We are able to offer this annual program due to Secure Rural School funds and the support we have from our dedicated community partners at the Skamania County Board of Commissioners, the Stevenson-Carson School District, and a variety of agencies and organizations like the Forest Service.”
“Our success is tied directly to the SRS funds that support our school. These funds are not a luxury, they’re a necessity. As we strive as board members to keep our school fiscally sound, give the students and teachers the resources they need, and stay compliant with the myriad and ever-changing requirements from the state, we depend on this essential funding. Without it, Mt. Pleasant faces cuts to programs, staffing, and even the long-term sustainability of the school itself,” said Mt. Pleasant School Board Vice Chair Tanis Morris in her remarks. “I urge lawmakers and decision makers to continue supporting the Secure Rural Schools Act, because when we fund rural schools, we don’t just preserve history, we build a stronger future.
The following are Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s full remarks:
“Access to education, a level playing field for our kids, economic agency – these are all the things that SRS represents to us. I live here in Skamania County with my husband and my young son – he would go to one of these schools if he were old enough to be in class. And I am so grateful to be standing here with such an incredible team of leaders and people who have fierce loyalty to place, who really know what’s worth fighting for in life and know how lucky we are to live in a place rich in natural resources and culture, and who are going to stand up to make that level playing field that SRS represents happen for us.
The sad truth is that we are now past the January deadline to extend this program and keep payments on track. It’s why we are holding this press conference today. In Skamania County, only 1.8 percent of our land base can generate the revenue for vital public services, and that’s due to the abundance of tax-exempt federal land.
I come from a line of folks who worked in the woods, and I know how important our harvest rates are to preventing wildfire – which was one of the largest emitters of CO2 in our state last year – to keeping small businesses, family businesses operating and viable.
If you’re worried about consolidation of timber land, stalling these sales, putting us in a hole – that’s not a way to create an efficient, competitive market where family businesses can compete. And as a result of all of these blows compounding damage to our economy, we’ve seen a loss of jobs, we’ve seen a loss of wealth in our community, we’ve seen a loss of families – to small businesses. Our communities have been stopped from exercising this self-sufficiency due to interminable litigation and federal inaction.
Part of the deal with SRS is that these federal funds would backfill our budget shortfalls that we have been prevented from generating ourselves due to the timber revenue declines. It is also the fundamental American principle that your Zip Code should not determine the caliber of education you receive. And [that we should] help folks who choose to stay and fight and be loyal and get buried on the same land they were born on.
Our rural schools and counties have already faced decades of painful cuts to our basics, consolidating schools and considering a four-day school week – and this is even with SRS funding and a dedication to fiscal responsibility. Failing to reauthorize this SRS funding would devastate our schools, our jobs, their trade programs in these high schools which are often the first thing to get cut, and here at Mt. Pleasant School, these funds keep the doors open – it’s as plain and simple as that. And the same goes for the Stevenson-Carson School District, where the budget is already set and they would have to make drastic cuts to staff and empty out funds for maintenance to old buildings.
We are not talking about luxury programs here – we are talking about having heating and cooling and an A/C system in our schools at a time when the classroom temperatures can reach 85 degrees on the inside. This is craziness. We will not go quietly along with this inattention from federal agencies and the federal government.
I’ve had the opportunity to visit the shop class at Stevenson High School and these are incredibly bright, gifted kids, and they deserve a fair shot to have the skills to graduate with the resources to start their own businesses, have economic self-determination, to have real economic power, political agency, choice in where they live and how they make that living. Not to mention, programs like WSU Extension’s Forest Youth Success which give kids the opportunity to build the skills and nurture the gifts that they were born with.
It’s also about our county operations and Sheriff’s Departments and roads and schools up in Lewis County and Cowlitz County that will cost us more down the line. This is penny wise and pound foolish. The backlog of maintenance on these programs, our roads, our infrastructure, is not cheap, and it’s not fiscally responsible.
And beyond Southwest Washington, there are more than 700 counties, 4,400 school districts, and 40 states [that] have relied on SRS. While Washington, D.C. experiences, frankly, an atrophy of awareness of what it’s like to live in rural America, to send your kids to a rural school, this vital program is now running behind schedule. These are the schools that my son would go to as I mentioned.
I’ve repeatedly pressed leadership to bring this vote to the House floor. We recently introduced bipartisan legislation with colleagues I respect and know and who are eager partners in this fight with me to retroactively provide this funding authorization.
This has historically been a bipartisan, commonsense bill, so we’re working to build support – and part of that is being here today and ensuring that federal electeds are hearing the local voices of the communities who are most closely impacted by this. Last year, this program cost about $253 million, and I think Congress could find that sort of money at the same time we’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year on literally empty office buildings of federal agencies.
I refuse to let federal inaction undermine the opportunities our kids have, so I’ll keep fighting for this in D.C., and I’m incredibly grateful to all the folks up here and all of you for being partners in this work.”
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House Bill 1625 would create a grant program to support backcountry search and rescue organizations and volunteers.
“I’m happy to see this bill receive a hearing because we need to help the agencies and responders who answer the call to rescue people in emergency situations,” said Stuebe, R-Washougal.
The Washington State Military Department Emergency Management Division estimates that approximately 1,000 search and rescue missions occur annually in Washington.
“Natural disasters and other emergencies are becoming more common, especially, when people head out to explore wilderness areas in Washington,” added Stuebe. “This grant program would create a way to help fund these backcountry search and rescue efforts and prevent the state from taking on more expenses.”
HB 1625 would create the Backcountry Search and Rescue Account and a mechanism to fund the grant account through legislative appropriations, donations, grants, or funds from other public or private sources. Sen. Keith Goehner, R-Chelan, introduced a companion bill in the Senate, SB 5631.
The Washington State Military Department would administer the program, creating the account in the state treasury.
If the legislation passes, the new rescue grant program would provide grants to search and rescue organizations for backcountry search and rescue volunteers’ planning, equipment, training, exercise, and operation costs. It would also allow counties, cities, and towns to recover backcountry search and rescue costs that are not reimbursed through other sources.
“This bill makes sense for everyone involved,” said Stuebe. “If we can use this program to fund these emergencies, rescuers would have a better chance of saving people in need. This program would provide better training, better resources, and better outcomes.”
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/24112934/stuebe-pic-scaled-e1729794795788.jpg11092560lacamashttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pnglacamas2025-02-07 18:29:202025-02-07 18:29:27Stuebe Bill to Support Search, Rescue Efforts Receives Public Hearing
PUGET ISLAND, WA – Last week,Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) held a roundtable with log truck operators, visited the Puget Island Alternate Water System Project, and toured Grays River priorities.
During Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s roundtable with Southwest Washington log truck drivers, the group discussed the need to make it easier to run or start an independent operation and hire apprentices, make common sense adjustments to federal regulation, and ensure more young people have the training necessary to pursue these careers early and safely.
“Being able to harvest and move timber is an important part of being able to prevent wildfire, build houses, and support family wage jobs. Hearing from our log truck operators, a decline in timber and complicated red tape can make it difficult to run a small, family operation, much less get one off the ground,”said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez.“We had a productive discussion about ways to ensure federal regulations actually make sense for independent operators and to get more young people the skills they need to build these careers as the workforce ages. Having operated an auto repair and machine shop before coming to Congress, I know how difficult it can be to hire an apprentice, yet these opportunities remain a critical pathway to the middle class.”
Last month, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s provisions were signed into law to extend eligibility for the Forest Service’s Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) for federal forest restoration and management projects to Tribes and counties to increase opportunities for cross-boundary restoration.
Afterward, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez spoke with Wahkiakum PUD about local utility priorities and visited the site of the Puget Island Alternate Water System Project.
In March, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez secured $959,752 of federal funds for the project as one of her Community Project Funding (CPF) requests. The funding makes the project possible without rate impacts to Wahkiakum PUD customers.
“Nearly a quarter of Wahkiakum County lives on Puget Island, and they’re served by a single water supply. Right now, three of four fire hydrants don’t have adequate water flow, so I secured funds to build an alternate, reliable water source to keep folks safe and protect their livelihoods and reliable access to clean water. By bringing our federal tax dollars home, we’re avoiding a rise in utility rates to get this done,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Wahkiakum PUD has a small but mighty team that takes immense pride in doing high-quality work in house. I’m glad I could see their skilled work firsthand as this critical project rapidly gets underway.”
The Congresswoman has helped bring home more than $12.9 million for water and wastewater projects across Southwest Washington. An interactive map of community investments she has supported can be found at gluesenkampperez.house.gov/invest.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA) was signed into law by the President, including assistance for flooding in Wahkiakum County, sediment control on the Columbia and Cowlitz Rivers, and the provisions of Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s (WA-03)PORT Act to approve a land conveyance to the Port of Skamania for local economic development. The Congresswoman voted with her bipartisan colleagues in the House to pass the legislation in December, and it passed the Senate later in the month.
The legislation will approve the Port of Skamania’s request for a 1.6-acre plot of unused U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land, which the port filed over 40 years ago and requires Congressional authorization.
The WRDA will also require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assess the causes of fine sediment accumulation that causes flooding in Rosburg and Grays River, as well as potential solutions to manage flood risk. When flooding occurs on the Grays River, it cuts off access to roughly 500 people, often for more than two days at a time. Within hours, the flooding limits vital emergency services, business operations, and school transportation, leaving behind sediment that can be dangerous and time consuming to remove. Last December, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued five people trapped in flooding conditions near Rosburg.
Additionally, the legislation will authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a feasibility study related to impacts of sediment accumulation on navigation channels in the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers. Currently, the Mt. St. Helens Sediment Control Project only allows dredging for flood risk management.
“Living in unincorporated Skamania County, I’ve seen firsthand how our community has had to endure painful cuts to vital services due to a lack of developable land and our funding being tied to natural resources like timber. This 1.6-acre plot of land is the kind of thing that can make an incredible difference in empowering our rural community. The port’s typewritten request for this land was filed before I was born, and it was unfortunately ignored by Congress for 40 years,”said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Rosburg and Grays River know the impacts of flooding all too well – and it’s only been getting worse. These floods are dangerous, leave behind debris, and cut off critical services, so our federal government needs to take urgent action to find solutions. We should also be supporting smooth, reliable navigation on Southwest Washington’s rivers. Our rural communities deserve an attentiveness to their needs – and I’m glad we could get these priorities signed into law after Congress has long failed to act.”
“The port is a key economic driver in Skamania County where just 0.4% of land is available for commercial development due to federal land-use protections. Because of the property’s location outside of these land-use restrictions this is an unheard-of chance to generate new economic development activity in a community with so many barriers preventing it,” said Pat Albaugh, Executive Director of the Port of Skamania County. “We can’t thank the Congresswoman enough for her leadership to finally overcome the bureaucratic roadblocks the port has faced for decades and put us on a road to success.”
The Water Resources Development Act is a biannual bill required for the authorization of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation projects, including to improve navigable channels, reduce flood and storm damage, and restore aquatic ecosystems.
Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez helped secure the transfer of the remaining 23.4-acres of the Wind River Administrative Site to Skamania County, which was finalized in October. She is also fighting to prevent the Secure Rural Schools program from expiring, as it serves as a lifeline for rural schools and infrastructure and accounts for 5.1 percent of Skamania County’s budget.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Jared Golden (ME-02) announced the introduction of legislation to establish a bipartisan select committee to examine current electoral methods and recommend reforms to reduce political polarization and strengthen our nation’s democracy.
The Electoral Reform Select Committee Act would convene a bipartisan group of lawmakers to consider alternatives to our current winner-take-all electoral system, such as multi-member districts with proportional representation, expanding the House, and independent redistricting commissions.
“Regardless of party or ideology, more and more Americans feel that our democracy isn’t working for them. Voters feel unrepresented and are losing faith in a government that they view as unreflective of their communities and values. As Members of Congress, we need to take a step back, reexamine how we got here, and work toward what we can do to fix it,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “This bipartisan select committee will look at the role our electoral system plays in exacerbating the hyper-partisanship, cynicism, and obstruction that has taken over today’s politics. It’s past time for Congress to set aside the conflict and chaos of clickbait politics and get back to work governing on behalf of the American people.”
“Americans on both sides are fed up with a political system that incentivizes division,”said Rep. Golden. “Fixing our laws to make government more representative doesn’t just sound great on paper: states like Maine have already proven it works. Getting both Democrats and Republicans to start talking about solutions is the first step to a better future.”
This legislation has the support of more than 170 political scientists, who wrote a public letter of support calling for Congress to “take this step towards reversing today’s dangerous levels of polarization and dysfunction and to strengthen itself as the fulcrum of our democracy.”
Earlier this year, Reps. Gluesenkamp Perez and Golden introduced bipartisan election reform legislation, as well as the BRIDGE to Congress Resolution to make it less difficult for constituents to appear before House committees.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/19160423/Perez.png208316lacamashttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pnglacamas2024-11-19 16:06:412024-11-19 16:06:48Gluesenkamp Perez, Golden Introduce Bill on Electoral Reform
Vancouver, WA — Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez holds a four point lead over Republican Joe Kent on Tuesday in a re-match that has been watched nationally, with implications on which political party will control the U.S. House of Representatives.
Gluesenkamp Perez, who is seeking a second term representing the 3rd Congressional District in southwest Washington, led Kent 51.8% to 47.8% in votes tallied on Election night. An updated count is expected by 4 pm Wednesday.
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Vancouver, WA — If you wish to return your voted ballot in person on or before Election Day take it to: Clark County Elections Office (1408 Franklin Street, Vancouver), available from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 7 am to 8 pm on Election Day.
Or return your voted ballot to one of the 22 red permanent ballot drop boxes, available 24 hours a day starting 18 days before an election until 8 pm on Election Day.
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Kalama, WA – Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), along with Senators Patty Murray (WA) and Maria Cantwell (WA), helped secure a $26,323,286 grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s CRISI Program to expand rail capacity to the Port of Kalama’s TEMCO Export Grain Terminal.
The funding will add four miles of rail, which will allow the port to store two loaded and two empty trains simultaneously and increase the efficiency of loading grain from rail to ship by up to 30 percent. In April, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez wrote to the Department of Transportation in support of the project.
Last year, the Port of Kalama was the number one exporter of wheat in the United States, number one exporter of soybeans on the West Coast, and seventeenth greatest volume exporter in the country.
“By investing in rail capacity at the Port of Kalama, we’re going to help grain move more efficiently and boost market access for Washington producers,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez.“With small family farms facing increasing challenges, I’ll keep fighting to bring home federal dollars to expand opportunities for growers, support local jobs, and rebuild our rural and agricultural economies.”
“Port Commissioners and staff have worked for years to secure grant funds for this project, and we are incredibly grateful for the support of Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and their respective staff in capturing this important infrastructure investment for Southwest Washington,” said Port Commission President Randy Sweet. “We’d also like to acknowledge and thank the Soy Transportation Coalition and its many American farmers for their support and contribution to this project.”
In March, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez secured $500,000 for the Port of Longview to expand an industrial rail corridor and $4,116,279 for the Port of Chehalis to construct a grain storage and transloading facility for local farmers to move product via rail.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) introduced the End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act to establish a dedicated federal funding stream to help multi-jurisdictional drug task forces (MJTFs) combat opioid trafficking in Washington state and across the country.
The End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act would:
Expand and formalize an existing DOJ initiative, the COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force program, to fund MJTFs to target opioid trafficking.
Help law enforcement expand partnerships across federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies to address opioid trafficking.
Allow funds to be used to create or expand existing MJTFs, hire and train law enforcement offices and other support employees, procure equipment, technology, support systems, and pay overtime.
Require 20 percent of funding to be set aside for Tribes and 20 percent to be made directly available to MJTFs.
Double funding historically provided to the COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force program to address opioid trafficking.
Provide technical assistance, including through training centers and facilities, to help instruct law enforcement on best practices for combating opioid trafficking.
“We have to end the deadly flow of fentanyl into our communities before it takes more of our loved ones and neighbors from us, and we need all of the law enforcement talent possible at the table,” Gluesenkamp Perez. “I’m introducing this legislation to dedicate federal funds to multi-jurisdictional task forces and expand partnerships and training – because when law enforcement agencies can coordinate regionally, they can more effectively fight fentanyl trafficking.”
“The opioid epidemic has devastated Northwest Washington,” said Larsen.“Members of local, state and Tribal law enforcement have told me they often lack the funding and resources to stem the flow of opioids and fentanyl that harm the communities they serve. This bill invests in and empowers multi-jurisdictional task forces to get more opioids and fentanyl off our streets – a critical investment that will protect Northwest Washington communities and save lives.”
In Washington state and around the country, law enforcement agencies partner across jurisdictions to form task forces that coordinate information, resources, and staff to target the illegal distribution of drugs at the local and regional levels. Washington state currently has 16 active MJTFs.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program is the leading source of federal justice funding for states, Tribes, and local governments supporting a range of criminal legal system improvement and community advancement initiatives, including MJTFs.
Last year, Reps. Gluesenkamp Perez and Larsen, along with other members of the Washington Delegation urged the Governor to continue to support the important work of MJTFs fighting fentanyl trafficking. The Congresswoman also supports increased funding for the Byrne JAG and COPS grants local law enforcement departments rely on.
Gluesenkamp Perez is working to fight the flow of fentanyl across our Southern Border that is making the work of first responders more difficult. She cosponsored the FEND Off Fentanyl and END FENTANYL Acts in the House, which are now law to target fentanyl traffickers and fight fentanyl smuggling at ports of entry.
Gluesenkamp Perez, along with her bipartisan colleagues, introduced the Invest to Protect Act to help police departments access funding for training, hiring and retention; introduced the Streamlining Federal Grants Act to make it easier for small, rural departments to apply for resources; and helped introduce legislation to support training and recruitment grants and expand access for rural communities.
A one-page summary of the legislation is available here.
“The National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition commends Representatives Larsen and Gluesenkamp Perez for their work and introduction of the End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act. Greater investment in resources for drug enforcement efforts – particularly multi-jurisdictional drug task forces – is needed to counter the alarming trend of drug poisoning,” said Eric Brown, president of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC). “Multi-jurisdictional drug task forces have generated best practices in information sharing, case deconfliction, and institutional coordination against local and regional drug threats. Given the diversification of Byrne JAG funding for purposes other than multi-jurisdictional drug task forces in some states, this legislation will provide much needed dedicated funding to address the drug poisoning epidemics in our communities.”
“The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) applauds Representatives Larsen and Gluesenkamp Perez for their efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic and for advocating for essential resources to support our mission of protecting communities across the nation,” said MCSA Executive Director Megan Noland.“The End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act would provide law enforcement with critical tools to target drug traffickers and prevent fentanyl from entering our communities. We appreciate that the bill would provide dedicated resources to support local multi-jurisdictional drug task forces.”
“Drug trafficking has brought tremendous harm to Washingtonians as such, the Washington State Narcotics Investigators Association enthusiastically endorses Representative Larsen’s efforts to strengthen partnerships and cooperation between federal and local agencies to save lives and prevent more devastation by addressing opioid trafficking in Washington State. His proposals in Congress represent the balance needed to positively impact lives and livelihoods of those in our state devastated by illicit drug trafficking,” said WSNIA President Chris Foreman. “We urge Congress to pass the End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act immediately to provide crucial resources to our communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. Failure to do so will cost more lives and devastation caused by overdoses and opioid use disorder, and street crimes in our neighborhoods.”
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